Ready for (Mecha)Hillary: U.S. Military Developing High-Tech Exoskeleton

The U.S. military is developing a high-tech exoskeleton that will allow mobility-challenged individuals to perform everyday tasks with little to no effort, the Washington Postreports (h/t Charles C.W. Cooke). The news is yet another indication that elderly homeowner Hillary Clinton will run for president in 2016.

The so-called FORTIS suit, developed by Lockheed Martin, is touted as "human augmentation for the 21st century," and promises to increase strength, endurance, and productivity. According to the Lockheed website:

FORTIS exoskeleton transfers loads through the exoskeleton to the ground in standing or kneeling positions and allows operators to use heavy tools as if they were weightless. An advanced ergonomic design moves naturally with the body and adapts to different body types and heights. Using the Equipois zeroG® arm, operators can effortlessly hold objects up to 36 pounds, increasing productivity by reducing muscle fatigue and avoiding muscle injury.

The military is also developing an "Iron Man" device known as the Tactical Assault Light Operator Suit (TALOS), which would be even more dynamic than the FORTIS suit, but will take longer to develop because it requires more power to operate, and won't be ready until 2018, just as President Hillary Clinton will be gearing up for a grueling midterm election.

"Obviously if you’re going to put a man in a suit — or a woman in a suit — and be able to walk with that exoskeleton… you’ve got to have power," outgoing special operations commander Admiral William McRaven said earlier this year. "You can’t have power hooked up to some giant generator" [emphasis added].

The FORTIS, however, does not require a power source, and is a great first step toward restoring mobility until more advanced options become available. ISIL won't stand a chance against it.